Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs | 2019 NIST MSE 01

Opportunity Information: Apply for 2019 NIST MSE 01

The Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs opportunity is a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) financial assistance announcement from the U.S. Department of Commerce that supports research and development aligned with NISTs measurement science mission. It is a discretionary funding opportunity focused on science and technology and other R and D activities, and it is designed to fund work that advances the underlying measurement methods, data, standards, and related engineering foundations that enable progress across industry, academia, and government. Rather than being a single narrowly defined program, it functions as an umbrella solicitation that routes proposals into multiple NIST organizational and technical areas, each with its own detailed subtopics, available funding, and review criteria described in the full announcement.

Applications are solicited across a wide set of NIST offices and laboratories, including the Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services (ADIIS), Associate Director for Laboratory Programs (ADLP), Communications Technology Laboratory (CTL), Engineering Laboratory (EL), Fire Research (FR), Information Technology Laboratory (ITL), International and Academic Affairs Office (IAAO), Material Measurement Laboratory (MML), NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR), Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML), Special Programs Office (SPO), and the Standards Coordination Office (SCO). In practice, that means proposed projects may span diverse technical domains such as communications and spectrum technologies, cybersecurity and information systems, advanced manufacturing and engineering systems, materials and chemical measurements, physical and quantum measurements, neutron-based measurement and characterization, fire dynamics and fire safety science, and standards related coordination and infrastructure. The common thread is that projects are expected to contribute to measurement science and engineering capabilities rather than serving primarily as procurement of a deliverable product for direct federal use.

The announcement results in awards made as either grants or cooperative agreements. Both are financial assistance instruments, but cooperative agreements typically involve more substantial programmatic involvement by NIST during the period of performance than a standard grant. The solicitation explicitly notes an important boundary: if the primary purpose of the proposed effort is to provide products or services for the direct benefit or use of the federal government, then a grant or cooperative agreement is not the appropriate vehicle. That statement signals that proposals should be framed as research or measurement advancement efforts with broader public benefit, not as contractor-like work where the government is essentially buying a specific product or service.

From an administrative standpoint, the funding opportunity title is Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs, with funding opportunity number 2019 NIST MSE 01. The opportunity lists CFDA numbers 11.609, 11.619, and 11.620, reflecting the cataloged assistance program areas tied to NIST. The eligible applicant category is listed as Others, with the expectation that applicants consult the announcements eligibility section for the exact allowable applicant types and any constraints. The opportunity was created on April 26, 2019, and initially carried a closing date of April 30, 2020, but it accepts applications on a rolling basis and remains active until it is replaced by a new announcement. That rolling structure generally favors applicants who align closely with an active subtopic and can submit when ready, rather than waiting for a single fixed deadline.

In terms of scale, the announcement lists an award ceiling of up to 12,000,000 and an expected number of awards of 750. Those figures indicate a large, multi-area program where award size and scope can vary significantly depending on the specific lab or office subtopic, the nature of the proposed research, and the funding availability described in the relevant section of the full announcement. Because the solicitation spans many NIST organizations, prospective applicants typically need to identify the most relevant subtopic area, tailor technical aims to that area, and follow the program-specific evaluation criteria rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.

• The Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.609, 11.619, 11.620.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 26, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 30, 2020 2019-NIST-MSE-01 accepts applications on a rolling basis. The announcement remains active until a new announcement is issued.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $12,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 750 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 2019 NIST MSE 01

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: